JP5952645B2 - Wafer inspection interface and wafer inspection apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wafer inspection interface including a probe card and a wafer inspection apparatus.

  As a wafer inspection apparatus, for example, a probe apparatus and a burn-in inspection apparatus that perform electrical characteristic inspection on a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on a wafer are known.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional probe apparatus.

  In FIG. 7, the probe apparatus 100 includes a loader chamber 101 that forms a transfer region for transferring a wafer W, and an inspection chamber 102 that performs an electrical characteristic inspection of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on the wafer W. 101 and various devices in the inspection room 102 are controlled by a control device to inspect the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device. The inspection chamber 102 mounts the wafer W loaded from the loader chamber 101 by the transfer arm 103 and moves in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions, and a pogo frame disposed above the mounting table 106. 109, a probe card 108 supported by the pogo frame 109, a plurality of probes (inspection needles) provided on the probe card 108 in cooperation with the mounting table 106, and a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on the wafer W. And an alignment mechanism 110 that performs alignment (positioning) with the electrodes. The alignment of the wafer W and the probe card 108 is performed by the cooperation of the alignment mechanism 110 and the mounting table 106, and each probe of the probe card 108 and each electrode of the wafer W are in contact with each other, and a plurality of formed on the wafer W. An electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor device is performed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  In this probe apparatus or a conventional wafer inspection apparatus provided with a plurality of inspection chambers, the space between the wafer support and the probe card is reduced in the inspection chamber, and the wafer is drawn to the probe card. In some cases, the electrode of the semiconductor device provided on the probe and the probe provided on the probe card come into contact with each other (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2004-140241 A JP 2012-063227 A

  However, in the conventional wafer inspection apparatus, the wafer support is used as a seal member for sealing the space between the probe card and the wafer support facing the probe card (hereinafter referred to as “contact space”) from the outside. For example, when a probe card with a short probe is used, it is impossible to follow a plurality of probe cards having different probe lengths. In order to compress the O-ring excessively so that the probe and the electrode of the semiconductor device are securely contacted, it is necessary to excessively reduce the contact space. At this time, the deformation of the wafer or the semiconductor provided on the wafer There is a problem in that the quality of the semiconductor device is deteriorated due to the deviation of the probe trace (needle trace) in the device.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a wafer inspection interface and wafer capable of satisfactorily abutting an electrode of a semiconductor device provided on a wafer and a probe of the probe card without being affected by the probe length in the probe card. It is to provide an inspection device.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the wafer inspection interface according to claim 1 includes a plurality of probes provided on the surface facing the wafer corresponding to the electrodes of the plurality of semiconductor devices formed on the wafer. A probe card; a support plate that supports a surface opposite to the surface on which the probe of the probe card is formed; a table-like chuck member that faces the probe card across the wafer; the chuck member; A cylindrical bellows member whose one end is fixed to the support plate and whose other end is in contact with the chuck member, and a length adjusting mechanism for adjusting the length of the bellows member; And a guide member for guiding the movement of the bellows member, and a decompression path for decompressing the space.

  The wafer inspection interface according to claim 2, wherein the length adjusting mechanism is configured such that the length of the bellows member is a sum of the thickness of the probe card and the thickness of the wafer. The length is adjusted by subtracting a predetermined amount of overdrive from the above.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the wafer inspection interface according to the second aspect, wherein the predetermined overdrive amount is 10 μm to 150 μm.

  5. The wafer inspection interface according to claim 4, wherein the bellows member has a flange portion at the other end, and the chuck portion is used to form the chuck. It contacts the member.

  The wafer inspection interface according to claim 5 is the wafer inspection interface according to claim 4, wherein the contact surface between the flange portion and the chuck member is sucked to bring the flange portion and the chuck member into close contact with each other. It has a suction path.

  The wafer inspection interface according to claim 6 is the wafer inspection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bellows member has a double structure in which two bellows members are arranged concentrically. It is characterized by presenting.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the wafer inspection interface according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting a pressure between the bellows members of the double structure bellows member.

  The wafer inspection interface according to claim 8, wherein the bellows member is a metal or synthetic resin bellows according to any one of claims 1 to 7. .

  In order to solve the above problems, a wafer inspection apparatus according to claim 9 includes an inspection chamber for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device formed on the wafer, and a transfer mechanism for carrying the wafer into and out of the inspection chamber. In the wafer inspection apparatus, the inspection chamber has a wafer inspection interface, and the wafer inspection interface is provided on the surface facing the wafer corresponding to the electrodes of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on the wafer. A probe card having a plurality of probes, a support plate for supporting the surface of the probe card opposite to the surface on which the probe is formed, and a trapezoidal chuck facing the probe card with the wafer interposed therebetween The member and the space between the chuck member and the support plate are sealed, one end is fixed to the support plate, and the other end is connected to the chuck member. It has a cylindrical bellows member that contacts, a length adjusting mechanism that adjusts the length of the bellows member, a guide member that guides the movement of the bellows member, and a decompression path that decompresses the space. To do.

  According to the present invention, a cylindrical bellows that seals a space between the chuck member and the support plate between the chuck member and the support plate, has one end fixed to the support plate and the other end in contact with the chuck member. Since the member is provided, the length of the bellows member is adjusted by a length adjustment mechanism to a predetermined length, for example, a length obtained by subtracting a predetermined overdrive amount from the sum of the probe card thickness and the wafer thickness. By this, when the chuck member on which the wafer is placed is brought into contact with the other end of the bellows member, the plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer and the plurality of probes of the probe card come into contact with each other, This ensures that the electrode of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer and the probe of the probe card are secured without being affected by the length of the probe in the probe card. It is possible to contact.

1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a wafer inspection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which follows the II-II line of the wafer inspection apparatus in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows schematically the structure of the interface for wafer inspection arrange | positioned at the test | inspection part in FIG. It is a figure which shows the process of the electrical property test | inspection of the semiconductor device provided in the wafer using the wafer test | inspection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a process of electrical characteristic inspection of a semiconductor device provided on a wafer using a wafer inspection apparatus to which a probe card having a probe shorter than the wafer inspection interface in FIG. 4 is applied. It is sectional drawing of the interface for wafer inspection of the wafer inspection apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the conventional probe apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a wafer inspection apparatus including a wafer inspection interface according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along II-II of the wafer inspection apparatus in FIG. FIG. This wafer inspection apparatus is a collective contact type inspection apparatus that performs electrical characteristic inspection by bringing all electrodes of all semiconductor devices provided on a wafer into contact with all probes of a probe card at once.

  In FIG. 1, a wafer inspection apparatus 70 includes an inspection area S30 for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device provided on the wafer, and a carry-in / out area for carrying in / out wafers, wafer trays, probe cards, and the like to / from the wafer inspection apparatus 70. It is mainly composed of S10 and a transfer area S20 provided between the carry-in / out area S10 and the inspection area S30.

  The carry-in / out area S <b> 10 is divided into a plurality of unit carry-in / out areas 11. Each unit carry-in / out area 11 is provided with a FOUP F receiving mechanism, for example. A temporary alignment device (pre-aligner) or a needle trace inspection device (both not shown) for performing a needle trace inspection on a wafer after inspection can be provided adjacent to a part of the unit carry-in / out area 11.

  A wafer carry-in / out mechanism 21 is provided in the transfer area S20. The carry-in / out mechanism 21 carries the wafer before inspection received from the carry-in / out area S10 along the transfer area S20, and the inspection area S30 will be described later. In addition to the transfer to the transfer mechanism 32, the wafer after inspection is received from the transfer mechanism 32 in the inspection area S30 and transferred to the carry-in / out area S10.

  In the inspection area S30, a plurality of inspection units 31 (testers) are provided. Adjacent inspection sections 31 are not particularly partitioned, and a plurality of inspection sections 31 each having a wafer inspection interface are arranged in a continuous space.

  2, the inspection area S30 in the wafer inspection apparatus 70 is divided into a plurality of floors and the third floor in FIG. 2. For example, the same number of inspection units 31 are provided on each floor and move between the inspection units 31. A transport mechanism 32, a positioning device and a positioning camera (not shown) are provided. The transport mechanism 32 places the uninspected wafer received from the carry-in / out mechanism 21 moving in the transport area S20 and transports it to the corresponding inspection unit 31, and transports the inspected wafer received from the inspection unit 31. The region S20 is transferred to the moving in / out mechanism 21 that moves.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a wafer inspection interface arranged in the inspection unit 31 in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, a wafer inspection interface 40 includes a head plate 41 made of a plate-like member disposed on the ceiling portion of the inspection unit 31 and a support plate (hereinafter referred to as “pogo frame”) constituting the lower surface of the head plate 41. .) 42, a probe card 43 disposed on the lower surface of the pogo frame 42, and a rod-like lifting mechanism (hereinafter referred to as "lifter") that is erected from the bottom of the inspection unit 31 and expands and contracts in the vertical direction in FIG. .) 44 and a table-like chuck member 45 provided on the top of the lifter 44.

  The probe card 43 is mainly composed of a substrate 43a and a plurality of probes 43b provided on the surface of the substrate 43a facing the wafer W, and is adsorbed and held on the pogo frame 42, for example. On the lower surface of the pogo frame 42, for example, a bellows 46 is disposed as a cylindrical bellows member so as to surround the outer periphery of the probe card 43. An upper end portion which is one end of the bellows 46 is fixed to the pogo frame 42 via a flange 46a, and a lower flange 46b is attached to a lower end portion which is the other end. The bellows 46 contacts the upper surface of the chuck member 45 via the lower flange 46b.

  The bellows 46 is extendable, and changes the length L (the distance L from the pogo frame 42 to the lower surface of the flange 46b) by displacing the lower flange 46b. When changing the distance L, a guide member (hereinafter referred to as “guide member”) 47 for guiding the movement of the flange 46 b is provided integrally with the flange 46 b, and the guide member 47 moves up and down along the support column 48. This guides the movement of the lower flange 46b in the vertical direction in FIG. The guide member 47 is provided with drive means (not shown) as a mechanism for adjusting the length of the bellows 46, and the guide member 47 and the lower flange 46b of the bellows 46 are moved by driving the drive means. Adjust the length of the bellows 46.

  The length of the bellows 46 is adjusted to a length obtained by subtracting a predetermined overdrive amount from the sum of the thickness of the probe card 43 and the thickness of the wafer W, for example. The amount of overdrive means that the electrode of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W is brought into contact with the probe 43b of the probe card 43, and then the wafer W is further moved toward the probe card 43 (hereinafter, this movement is referred to as “ This is referred to as “overdrive”.) The amount of movement to ensure contact between the plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device and the plurality of probes 43b of the probe card 43. The amount of overdrive is, for example, 10 to 150 μm, and is determined by the type of semiconductor device provided on the wafer W to be inspected for electrical characteristic inspection, the inspection conditions, and the like.

  By adjusting the length L of the bellows 46 as described above, when the chuck member 45 on which the wafer W is placed is brought into contact with the lower flange 46b of the bellows 46, a plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W And the tips of the plurality of probes 43b provided on the probe card 43 come into contact with each other reliably.

  The chuck member 45 moves as the transport mechanism 32 (see FIG. 2) moves, receives the uninspected wafer W from the carry-in / out mechanism 21 (see FIG. 1), and moves to a position adjacent to the inspection unit 31, for example. Then, the wafer is transferred to the alignment device 49, where the chuck member 45 and the wafer W are aligned, and the wafer W and the probe card 43 provided in the wafer inspection interface 40 of the inspection unit 31 are aligned. Thereafter, the chuck member 45 transports the wafer W aligned with the probe card 43 to a position just below the wafer inspection interface 40, and moves upward toward the probe card 43 by the lifter 44. The upper surface of the chuck member 45 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the lower flange 46 b of the bellows 46. At this time, the plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W and the tips of the plurality of probes 43b of the probe card 43 are in good and reliable contact with each other.

  With the upper surface of the chuck member 45 in contact with the lower surface of the lower flange 46 b of the bellows 46, the chuck member 45 opens to the contact surface with the lower flange 46 b of the chuck member 45 and passes through the suction path 52 surrounded by the O-ring 53. The lower flange 46b is sucked, whereby the chuck member 45 and the flange 46b are brought into close contact with each other. Thereafter, the space S is depressurized by the depressurization means via the depressurization path 51 that opens to the space S surrounded by the pogo frame 42, the chuck member 45, and the bellows 46, and thereby the semiconductor device electrodes provided on the wafer W A good contact state of the probe card 43 with the probe 43b is maintained. At this time, the pressure in the space S is adjusted to, for example, −3 to −15 Pa.

  After the contact state in which the plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W and the tips of the plurality of probes 43b of the probe card 43 are securely contacted is maintained, the inspection unit 31 is provided on the wafer W. In addition, electrical characteristic inspection of a plurality of semiconductor devices is performed.

  Hereinafter, the electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor device formed on the wafer using the wafer inspection apparatus having the wafer inspection interface having the above configuration will be described in detail.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process of inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device formed on a wafer using a wafer inspection apparatus having the wafer inspection interface of FIG.

  In FIG. 4, the wafer inspection interface 40 includes a probe card having a relatively long probe as compared with a wafer inspection interface in FIG.

  When performing electrical characteristic inspection of a semiconductor device provided on a wafer, first, a probe card 43 provided with a plurality of probes 43b having a predetermined length corresponding to the electrode of the semiconductor device to be subjected to electrical characteristic inspection is provided. In the wafer inspection interface 40 (FIG. 4A), the length of the bellows 46 is adjusted.

  That is, the guide member 47 in the wafer inspection interface 40 is moved up and down in FIG. 3 by the driving means (bellows length adjusting mechanism) (not shown) together with the lower flange 46b, so that the length of the bellows 46 is changed. The overdrive amount is adjusted to a length L1 obtained by subtracting, for example, 100 μm from the sum of the thickness of the card 43 and the thickness of the wafer W (FIG. 4B).

  Next, the chuck member 45 is moved by the transport mechanism 32 to receive the uninspected wafer W from the carry-in / out mechanism 21, and the position where the wafer W is moved to a position adjacent to the inspection unit 31 having the wafer inspection interface 40. The wafer W is conveyed to the aligning device 49 (see FIG. 3), and the wafer W is aligned with the chuck member 45, and the wafer W is aligned with the probe card 43 of the wafer inspection interface 40. Is moved below the wafer inspection interface 40 (FIG. 4C).

  Next, the lifter 44 moves upward the chuck member 45 on which the wafer W aligned with the probe card 40 is placed, and brings the upper surface of the chuck member 45 into contact with the lower flange 46 b of the bellows 46. At this time, the plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W and the tips of the plurality of probes 43b of the probe card 43 are in contact with each other, and the wafer W is overdriven toward the probe card 43 by, for example, 100 μm. As a result, the plurality of electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W and the plurality of probes 43b provided on the probe card 43 are reliably brought into contact with each other (FIG. 4D).

  Next, a contact portion between the lower flange 46b of the bellows 46 and the chuck member 45 is sucked by, for example, a vacuum pump (not shown) via the suction path 52, and the lower flange 46b and the chuck member 45 are brought into close contact with each other. A space S surrounded by the frame 42, the chuck member 45, and the bellows 46 is decompressed by decompression means (not shown) via a decompression path 51 that opens to the upper surface of the chuck member 45, and a plurality of semiconductor devices provided on the wafer W are provided. The electrodes are in good contact with the tips of the plurality of probes 43b of the probe card 43.

  After the wafer W is brought into contact with the probe card 43 supported by the wafer inspection interface 40 in this way, the inspection unit 31 performs an electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W.

  According to the present embodiment, the space S between the chuck member 45 and the pogo frame 42 is sealed, one end is fixed to the pogo frame 42, and the other end is a bellows 46 as a cylindrical member that abuts the chuck member 45. And a length adjusting mechanism for adjusting the length of the bellows is provided. Therefore, the length of the bellows 46 is optimally obtained by subtracting a predetermined overdrive amount from the sum of the thickness of the probe card 43 and the thickness of the wafer W. Since the length can be adjusted, the length of the bellows 46 can be changed according to the length of the probe 43b of the probe card 43, and without being affected by the length of the probe 43b in the probe card 43, The electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer and the probe of the probe card can be brought into contact with each other in an appropriate state, so that the semiconductor can be satisfactorily contacted. It is possible to improve the inspection accuracy of the electrical characteristics of devices.

  Further, after the wafer W is brought into contact with the probe card 43, it is further overdriven by a predetermined overdrive amount, so that the electrode of the semiconductor device and the probe 43b of the probe card 43 are surely in contact with each other to reduce the electrical contact resistance. Can be reduced.

  Moreover, according to this Embodiment, since the guide member 47 which guides the movement of a bellows and the lower flange of this bellows was provided, the blurring at the time of a bellows extending | stretching or shortening can be prevented.

  Next, an electrical characteristic inspection of a semiconductor device provided on a wafer using a wafer inspection apparatus to which a probe card having a short probe is applied will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an electrical characteristic inspection process of a semiconductor device provided on a wafer using a wafer inspection apparatus to which a probe card having a probe shorter than the wafer inspection interface in FIG. 4 is applied.

  In FIG. 5, the configuration and operation of each component are the same as those in FIG. 4 except that the length of the probe 43c of the probe card 43 is shorter than that of the probe 43b in the probe card 43 of FIG. The reference numerals are attached and the description is omitted.

  In FIG. 5, the length L2 of the bellows 46 is a length obtained by subtracting a predetermined overdrive amount (for example, 100 μm) from the sum of the thickness of the probe card 43 and the thickness of the wafer W. The relationship between the length L2 and the length L1 of the bellows 46 in FIG. 4 is L1> L2. This is because the length of the probe 43c of the probe card 43 in the wafer inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment is shorter than the length of the probe 43b of the probe card 43 in FIG.

  However, in FIG. 5, the distance ΔL2 (FIG. 5B) between the tip of the probe 43c of the probe card 43 and the lower surface of the lower flange 46 of the bellows 46 is the distance between the tip of the probe 43b of the probe card 43 in FIG. The distance ΔL1 (FIG. 4B) with the lower surface of the lower flange 46 of the bellows 46 is set to the same length. Both the distance ΔL2 and the distance ΔL1 are set to a length obtained by subtracting a predetermined overdrive amount, for example, 100 μm from the thickness of the wafer W. As a result, when the chuck member 45 is brought into contact with the lower flange 46b of the bellows 46, the electrodes of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W and the probes 43c (43b) of the probe card 43 regardless of the length of the probe. Each of them is in good and reliable contact, and the subsequent electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor device can be performed with high accuracy.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the wafer inspection interface of the wafer inspection apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The wafer inspection interface 40 in this wafer inspection apparatus is different from the wafer inspection interface of FIG. 4 in that a double structure bellows 56 is used instead of the bellows 46.

  The electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer W using the wafer inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment is performed in the same manner as in the case of FIG. 4 described above, but between the bellows 56 of the double structure bellows 56. The lower flange 56b of the bellows 55 can be displaced by pressurizing or depressurizing the enclosed space using a pressure adjusting device (not shown), whereby the length of the bellows 56 is adjusted.

  According to the present embodiment, since the bellows 56 has a double structure, the length of the bellows 56 can be adjusted to an appropriate length by adjusting the pressure between the bellows of the double structure. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the electrode of the semiconductor device provided on the wafer and the probe of the probe card can be satisfactorily brought into contact with each other without being affected by the probe length in the probe card. The accuracy of the inspection of the electrical characteristics of the device can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, since the guide member 47 for guiding the movement of the bellows is provided, an O-ring having a cross-sectional lip shape can be applied instead of the bellows.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using said each embodiment, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment.

W Wafer S Space 32 Transfer mechanism 40 Wafer inspection interface 42 Pogo frame 43 Probe card 43b Probe 44 Lifting device (lifter)
45 Chuck member 46 Bellows 46b Lower flange 47 Guide member

Claims (9)

A probe card comprising a plurality of probes provided on the surface facing the wafer corresponding to the electrodes of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on the wafer;
A support plate for supporting a surface of the probe card opposite to the surface on which the probe is formed;
A table-like chuck member facing the probe card across the wafer;
A cylindrical bellows member that seals a space between the chuck member and the support plate, one end of which is fixed to the support plate, and the other end abuts the chuck member;
A length adjusting mechanism for adjusting the length of the bellows member;
A guide member for guiding the movement of the bellows member;
A decompression path for decompressing the space;
A wafer inspection interface characterized by comprising:   The length adjustment mechanism adjusts the length of the bellows member to a length obtained by subtracting a predetermined overdrive amount from the sum of the thickness of the probe card and the thickness of the wafer. The described wafer inspection interface.   The wafer inspection interface according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined overdrive amount is 10 μm to 150 μm.   4. The wafer inspection interface according to claim 1, wherein the bellows member has a flange portion at the other end, and contacts the chuck member by the flange portion. 5.   5. The wafer inspection interface according to claim 4, further comprising a suction path for sucking a contact surface between the flange portion and the chuck member to bring the flange portion and the chuck member into close contact with each other.   6. The wafer inspection interface according to claim 1, wherein the bellows member has a double structure in which two bellows members are arranged concentrically.   7. The wafer inspection interface according to claim 6, further comprising a pressure adjusting mechanism that adjusts a pressure between the bellows members in the double bellows member.   The wafer inspection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bellows member is a metal or synthetic resin bellows. In a wafer inspection apparatus comprising an inspection room for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device formed on a wafer, and a transport mechanism for carrying the wafer into and out of the inspection room,
The inspection room has a wafer inspection interface;
The wafer inspection interface is:
A probe card comprising a plurality of probes provided on the surface facing the wafer corresponding to the electrodes of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on the wafer;
A support plate for supporting a surface of the probe card opposite to the surface on which the probe is formed;
A table-like chuck member facing the probe card across the wafer;
A cylindrical bellows member that seals a space between the chuck member and the support plate, one end of which is fixed to the support plate, and the other end abuts the chuck member;
A length adjusting mechanism for adjusting the length of the bellows member;
A guide member for guiding the movement of the bellows member;
A decompression path for decompressing the space;
A wafer inspection apparatus comprising:

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